Ron Plunkett, Interview by John Mahoney, 19 April 2018
Date:
2018
Interviewer:
John Mahoney
Interviewee:
Ron Plunkett
Description:
Ron Plunkett discusses his experience as an Irish-American in the South. His Irish family background is largely derived from County Meath, County Louth, and County Dublin, and the first ancestor of his to come to the States was Captain Peter Plunkett, who arrived in Virginia around 1690. Ron was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. His background is Welsh, German, and French Huguenot, as well as Irish. Ron was raised in the Episcopal Church. Of anti-Irish or anti-Catholic sentiment, he states that he feels such discrimination or prejudice wasn’t a part of his experience in Atlanta, and that religious or ethnic background didn’t seem to be as big of a deal as it might have been in other places. He also discusses his time in the service during the Korean War. He first visited Ireland in the seventies on business and returned several times through his job with Sealand/Maersk Line, speaking of his experience as a visitor in the best of terms. He is a member of the Hibernian Society of Charleston and the St. David’s Society, a Welsh organization. To him, being of Irish descent in America is about celebrating one’s heritage and knowing one’s history, to share pride in the contributions of one’s ancestors.
Ron Plunkett discusses his experience as an Irish-American in the South. His Irish family background is largely derived from County Meath, County Louth, and County Dublin. His first ancestor to come to the United States was Captain Peter Plunkett, who arrived in Virginia around 1690. Ron was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. His background is Welsh, German, and French Huguenot, as well as Irish. Ron was raised in the Episcopal Church. He feels that anti-Irish or anti-Catholic discrimination and prejudice weren’t a part of his experience in Atlanta, and that religious or ethnic background didn’t matter as much as it might in some places. He discusses his service in the Korean War. He first visited Ireland in the 1970s on business and returned several times through his job with Sealand/Maersk Line. He speaks of his experience as a visitor in Ireland in the best terms. He is a member of the Hibernian Society of Charleston and the St. David’s Society, a Welsh organization. To him, being of Irish descent in America is about celebrating one’s heritage and knowing one’s history and about sharing pride in the contributions of one’s ancestors.
Personal or Corporate Subject:
Hibernian Society (Charleston, S.C.) Episcopal Church Ancient Order of Hibernians
